Ep. 175 - Josie Castañeda - Latine Herbalism: Curanderismo, Healing Plants & Folk Traditions

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Hey everybody! Episode 175 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Josie Castañeda. Josie and I share a mutual friend, Ian Darrah, so I was really happy to find that out and to sit down and speak with her. Josie has a really interesting life story that saw her pursue many different paths before returning to her roots. She wrote a beautiful beginners guide to curandersimo drawing upon her different practices and Mexican and Cuban roots. I found it a really good, concise read and was happy to have her share in her story, life experiences and wisdom. She has a lovely energy and I’m sure you all will gain a lot from her wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

“Iosellev “Josie” Castañeda Morales is a modern-day curandera. At an early age she was introduced to the practice of curanderismo as a way of life. Today, Josie serves her Miami community as a yerbera, one who works with herbs. She shares her knowledge with depth, joy, and clarity.”

To learn more about or contact Josie, including her book, visit her website at: https://www.curanderaremedies.com/

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

If you enjoy the show, it’s always a big help if you can share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and Like the video and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Follow the show and leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik  

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast 

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Ep. 174 - Andrew Michaels - Ayahuasca and Religious Freedom

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Hey everybody! Episode 174 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Andrew Michaels. I got to know Andrew when he came and worked with us. He’s an interesting guy with an interesting story. He is a lawyer by trade and recently released and will publish a paper entitled Ayahuasca and Religious Freedom. This is an important and prescient topic as ayahuasca is being brought to and worked with in the United States. Currently it is illegal and classified as a Schedule 1 drug. However there is now case law and precedent of groups attaining religious exemption under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. We spoke about this process, the case history, why it important, some of the potential drawbacks, and his outlook moving forward. It was a really interesting conversation and I hope you all enjoy it. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

“Andrew Michaels is a law professor at the University of Houston Law Center, and the author of "Ayahuasca and Religious Freedom" forthcoming in Pepperdine Law Review. He is an expert in intellectual property law, as well as the law of religious exemptions for Ayahuasca use in the United States under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He aims to help guide the law regulating Ayahuasca use in the United States to develop in ways that allow and encourage the respectful and careful ceremonial use of this powerful brew.”

To learn more about or contact Andrew, including his paper, visit his website at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4988709

_________________________

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

If you enjoy the show, it’s always a big help if you can share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and Like the video and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Follow the show and leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik  

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast 

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Ep. 173 - Rael Inshan - The Sacred Mushroom: Amanita Muscaria

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Hey everybody! Episode 173 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Rael Inshan. Rael is an interesting guy who specializes in the amanita muscaria mushroom. I was really happy to have him on to speak about this sacred medicine as its not a topic I have covered much. We spoke about his difficult childhood and how that led him to South America to work with different indigenous medicine traditions. This eventually led him to discover the amanita muscaria mushroom in the woods near him and to begin working with it and to learn, firsthand, it’s benefits. He speaks about the wisdom it has taught him about it’s medicine on the individual level as well as the collective and a vision of a new earth that he feels the mushroom is guiding us towards. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer*: Amanita muscaria belongs to a family that includes deadly mushrooms. Misidentification can be fatal. The host does not endorse using any wild mushrooms without professional, supervised guidance. Listeners assume all risk and the host bears no liability.

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

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“Rael Inshaan is a consciousness educator, mushroom forager, and founder of Amanita Warriors—a microdosing company focused on the therapeutic use of Amanita Muscaria. After a difficult upbringing, chronic health issues, and decades of insomnia, Rael turned to psychedelics in search of healing. What followed was a years-long journey of exploration, including more than 1,200 plant medicine ceremonies.His turning point came with Amanita Muscaria—a legal mushroom that helped restore his sleep, support his nervous system, and shift his day-to-day experience of life. Drawing from years of personal experience and a deep shamanic background, Rael now helps others understand the safe use of this often-misunderstood substance and its potential role in emotional health and spiritual wellbeing.Rael speaks to audiences to help overcome trauma, addictions, or psychiatric medication withdrawal, as well as those exploring spiritual paths to wellness. His lived experience makes him relatable to spiritual seekers, skeptics, and anyone questioning mainstream approaches to health and healing.He also brings a unique perspective on faith. Though he explored many spiritual traditions, his journey ultimately led him to Christianity—a shift shaped by years of deep personal searching. He now speaks openly about the concept of spiritual resistance, the role of faith in recovery, and how to cultivate a more conscious, grounded life.Rael is the author of the newly published book The Journey of the Eternal Warrior: Part One – The Beautiful Vision of God’s New Earth, where he shares his personal story and reflections on faith, healing, and spiritual transformation.”

To learn more about or contact Rael, visit his website at: https://www.amanitawarrior.com

_________________________

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

If you enjoy the show, it’s always a big help if you can share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and Like the video and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Follow the show and leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik  

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast 

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Nuno Moreno's Heart's Cave: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound

Ep. 172 - Jason Grechanik - Plants as Medicine: Tobacco & Tree Dietas

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Audio version:

Hey everybody! Episode 172 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called Embracing the Mystery with Dani Rhem. Dani had reached out to me a while back with interest in my work and was very kind to invite me on her podcast. She has beautiful presence and I was really happy with her questions and the depth of this interview. We spoke primarily about my work with the medicine of trees and tobacco. I hope you all can gain some insights and please consider supporting her work and great podcast as well. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: this channel and its host/guests do not dispute or contradict health authority guidance by denying the addictive or harmful properties of nicotine or tobacco.*

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

“For many years, Jason has had a deep interest in plants as medicine. After studying various modalities, he has lived, studied, and worked in the Amazon and Andes for more than a decade. He runs plant medicine dietas in Peru and throughout the world, weaving Amazonian tobacco traditions with Celtic tree wisdom. He facilitated ayahuasca retreats for many years at the renowned Temple of the Way of Light. He also hosts a podcast called The Universe Within Podcast. He is married with a son. Jason is an Eagle Scout. In his free time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (he is a brown belt), spending time in nature and at home, woodworking, riding his motorcycle, and solitude.”

To learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

To learn more about or contact Dani, visit her website at: https://www.danirhem.com

_________________________

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

If you enjoy the show, it’s always a big help if you can share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and Like the video and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Follow the show and leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

• November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

• January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

• February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

• July 2026: Westport, Ireland

• November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik  

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast 

Music: Adrian Freedman’s A Call to Prayer: https://adrianfreedman.com/shop/ & Nuno Moreno's Heart's Cave: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound

Disclaimer:

We do NOT buy, sell, trade, or distribute:

• Tobacco or nicotine products of any kind.

• Products that simulate smoking, including all types of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) such as e-cigarettes, vapes, nicotine-free vapes, cigars, herbal cigarettes, e-liquids, or tobacco-related production equipment.

We are not a medical facility and no health care is practiced under our direction. We do not offer:

• Medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or any form of health-related service, whether paid or unpaid

• Tests or information intended to support or substitute for any of the above

All content is for educational and informational purposes only, rooted in traditional knowledge and cultural practices.